Crackdown on supermarkets short-changing shoppers

Grocery stores and supermarkets are being caught out short-changing customers on up to one in three food items they sell.

While many of the breaches are minor and customers might be getting a few grams less than what they paid for, over time it can make a huge difference to family budgets and retailers’ bottom lines.

The five key supermarket chains – Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA and Costco – will be the subject of a two-week blitz later this year by the federal government agency responsible for making sure consumers get what they pay for.

In some cases, supermarkets don’t allow for the weight of the plastic bag or the plastic container food comes in.

The National Measurement Institute will visit 8000 businesses this year, inspect 60,000 lines of packaged goods and test 10,000 scales and other measuring instruments.

The National Measurement Institute will visit 8000 businesses this year, inspect 60,000 lines of packaged goods and test 10,000 scales and other measuring instruments. (Nine)

It also conducts at least 1000 mystery shoppers.

Stores are given a chance to fix the weight problems but if after follow-ups, problems persist, they’re slapped with a $1050 penalty.

Around 100 penalty notices were issued in the past year and that was only after persistent breaches.

“Typically we find around 30-35 per cent non-compliance when we conduct our trade measurement work,” said Michael Bryan, an assistant regional manager with the NMI.

“Most of the issues are relatively minor and they’re fixed quickly.”

The areas of greatest concern are fresh seafood where around seven per cent fail to deliver what’s on the packaging.

A growing trend is for frozen seafood coming in from Southeast Asia to be filled with frozen water so a 1kg bag of frozen prawns may contain only 750g of the seafood and the rest is ice.

“Consumers are paying for water when they actually think they’re purchasing seafood,” said NMI manager trade measurement services Malcolm Bartlett.

Simone Robinson from IGA Turramurra Plaza said the store always strives to do right by its customers.

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure customers aren’t being ripped off and we do the right thing,” she said.

The five key supermarket chains – Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA and Costco – will be the subject of a two-week blitz later this year by the federal government agency responsible for making sure consumers get what they pay for. (Nine)

“We want the customer to get what they’re paying for so we make sure everything is over (weight).”

Overall, almost one in 10 packets of processed meat and almost one in 10 ready to eat meals also fell short.

“If you’re missing out on a couple of grams on every article, that adds up to one article you don’t get to purchase,” Mr Bartlett said.

“We want to make sure supermarkets are following through.”

If they don’t, the NMI won’t hesitate to haul them before the courts, Mr Bartlett said.

And it’s not just the supermarkets the NMI has in its sights.

Fuel companies and petrol stations are also on notice.

Around 6 per cent of fuel pumps are delivering the wrong amount of petrol.

“So when you buy a litre, you get a litre, you don’t get 900 ml or 1.1L,” Mr Bartlett said.